A new form of potential sputtering has been found for impact of slow ( < or = 1500 eV) multiply charged Xe ions (charge states up to q = 25) on MgO(x). In contrast to alkali-halide or SiO2 surfaces this mechanism requires the simultaneous presence of electronic excitation of the target material and of a kinetically formed collision cascade within the target… (More)

The use of microspacecraft such as small satellites is growing due to miniaturization and cost constraints. The university community is a leader in developing these very small, low-mass spacecraft often as part of hands-on education programs. OBSIDIAN (On Board Solar Intensity Directed Instrumentation f or the Akoya Nanosatellite), a student satellite team,… (More)